Fiscally stressed Colombia is facing multiple crises that possess the potential to derail a vulnerable economy. Oil and natural gas production is in freefall because of adverse regulatory reforms and frequent tax hikes. Declining revenue from Colombia’s oil patch is impacting a fragile economy and weak government finances. There are fears that recent oil shocks caused by Tehran's closing of the Strait of Hormuz will sharply impact Colombia’s hydrocarbon-dependent economy, potentially triggering energy and fiscal crises due to a growing…

There is great uncertainty as to whether and to what extent the Strait of Hormuz is reopening the flow of global oil and gas trade against the backdrop of a fragile ceasefire. What is certain, however, is that the global energy sector will see far-reaching consequences of the historic disruption for a long time to come. In fact, the global energy landscape may never be the same again. On an average day, approximately one-fifth of the world’s oil and gas trade crosses through the Strait of Hormuz, a waterway between the Persian Gulf and the…

It almost looks like an eternal story or an Australian boomerang approach, but the global oil market is once again being misread, very badly. Headlines speak of disruption, paralysis, and the near closure of the Strait of Hormuz. International tanker trackers all report traffic collapsing, while Gulf exporters are shutting in production. Every single visible metric indicates that the system is under extreme stress. And yet, there is still oil flowing. This time it is not open, not as usual able to be measured by markets, or in volumes that are…

If you are looking for respite from news of bombings, threats to ancient civilizations, becalmed oil tankers, rising prices, disputes about who can go to which toilets, and sex scandals among the rich and famous, consider these stories that matter for energy folk who would have otherwise noticed but might have been distracted by all the other stuff. Nuclear reactor price—As part of the tariff dispute last year, Japan was strong-armed into announcing billions of dollars of new investments in the USA. As part of the deal, GE Hitachi will partner…

The war in Iran and broader Middle East conflict are making consumers and policymakers more aware of the vulnerabilities that face the global energy market. The price of fossil fuels is rising higher and higher, as supply chain disruptions are spurring oil shortages around the world. As governments worldwide evaluate their next moves, consumers appear to be increasingly turning to electric vehicles (EVs) to reduce their reliance on petrol. Many governments have introduced policies that aim to encourage the purchase of EVs and dissuade consumers…

Tajikistan and Uzbekistan are among the top 10 countries in the world with the poorest air quality, according to the findings published by a Swiss research firm. More broadly, Central Asia experienced a sharp increase in pollution in 2025. According to IQAir’s World Air Quality Report for 2025, the air in Tajikistan contained an average of 57.3 micrograms of PM2.5 particles per cubic meter (µg/m³), an amount 11.5 times higher than the World Health Organization’s guidelines for acceptable air quality. Tajikistan’s general…

Governments worldwide are racing to find a solution to contend with the severe energy shortages brought about by the war in Iran and the ongoing Middle East conflict. For some, this means accelerating the deployment of renewable energy, which is likely to be a longer-term solution. For others, it means relying on stockpiles of crude, while the oil trade remains limited. And, for many, it means using any type of energy available, including coal. Several countries have reduced their reliance on coal in recent years in favour of oil, gas, and renewable…